Holiday Survival Guide: Tips for Balancing Family & Football

If I had it my own way, the television would be off throughout all holidays, then we'd sneak in a late movie: something elegant and classic, and preferably black and white. This however, is a very unrealistic view of how holidays go down in most families, and especially mine. For one thing, I have a football-loving mother, brother, husband, and in-laws. This makes for a noisy, raucous game-day holiday.

If you're like me, you grin and bear it and balance the games with your own holiday traditions that don't involve game day. However, over the years I've come up with some perfect tips for keeping holidays special for both sides. Read on and let me know your own tips!

• Know that your ideal holiday might not be someone else's. Thanksgiving without football would put a few of my family members in a depressive tailspin. That's no fun! Respect others' wishes for their ideal holiday, and work to make your own holiday perfect.

• Have TV time and no-TV time. I'm of the belief that holiday dinners should be sacred and the television should be off. This seems like a good compromise, especially if you time dinner away from the main television event. Another good tip—whoever cooks gets to decide if the television gets turned off during dinner.

• If you're a lover of the game—respect that some people aren't. Don't gobble through your meal just to get back to the TV. Enjoy it! Also, respect non-gamers wishes to chat in the dining room while others watch, or read in the same space with you. And above all DON'T shush someone for talking during the game.